Malema ‘hate’ case now in High Court

PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s Equality Court challenge against EFF leader Julius Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu was yesterday transferred to the High Court after an application by advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, which was not opposed.

Ngcukaitobi was acting on behalf of the EFF leaders, who wanted to challenge Section 10 of the Equality Act that dealt with hate speech.

In November last year, Gordhan laid criminal charges against both men after Malema accused Gordhan, outside the state capture inquiry venue, of benefiting from the looting of the state. Gordhan wants the EFF leaders charged with crimen injuria, incitement to public violence and defamation, as he said the statements constituted hate speech, as defined by the Act.